Easing the way in the ER for kids (and grownups)
A visit to the hospital’s emergency department can be stressful for anyone, but for children it’s downright terrifying. All the strange sounds, smells and equipment in this unfamiliar place only heighten the fear an ill or injured child is already experiencing.
But an ER doctor at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock, British Columbia, is determined to change all that. Using an innovative combination of high-tech and what might be called “no-tech,” he is shifting his youngest patients’ focus from needles and sutures to absorbing virtual reality roller coaster rides, helpful little robots—and a puppet named “Magrau.”
In this episode of Power to Heal, you’ll also learn how Dr. Amir Behboudi’s determination to improve the ER patient experience isn’t limited to children: he’s been the driving force behind an inexpensive treatment that is offered in PAH’s emergency room to reduce feelings of nausea in adult patients waiting for treatment.
Dr. Behboudi’s story begins with a trip to a neighbouring emergency room with his own son. What he experienced there inspired a technique that, with support from the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, is capturing the attention of local media—and other hospitals in the area.
Guests:
Power to Heal is hosted by Lance Peverley, a former newspaper reporter, editor of the Peace Arch News for 12 years, and a longtime resident of the White Rock/South Surrey area.
About the Power to Heal podcast:
Presented by Peace Arch Hospital Foundation in White Rock, British Columbia, Power to Heal takes you behind the scenes of an innovative hospital Foundation and introduces you to the team who find new and sometimes surprising ways to engage with the local community and help fund the best healthcare possible in the region.
Since 1988, the Foundation has raised over $250 million for capital projects, medical equipment, and community health programs. Its passionate and caring team’s number one priority is the prudent stewardship of your gifts and the resulting positive impact on patients and medical staff at Peace Arch Hospital and the entire White Rock-South Surrey community.
Download Power to Heal wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Links:
Peace Arch News: Making the ER less scary for kids
Global News: “New anti-nausea treatment”
Support this and many other innovative programs and initiatives at Peace Arch Hospital. Visit www.pahfoundation.ca/ways-to-give/ to learn more.